


Of cranky aunts and good brothers

by sweetheartshumjr



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 12 Days of Christmas, Angst, Brother Feels, Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Christmas Dinner, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Cinnamon Roll Newt Scamander, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Newt Scamander, Hurt/Comfort, Protective Siblings, Protective Theseus Scamander, Sibling Bonding, Sibling Love, Theseus Scamander is a Good Sibling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-27 08:32:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17158706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetheartshumjr/pseuds/sweetheartshumjr
Summary: Day 12: StargazingMerry Christmas, Guys!





	Of cranky aunts and good brothers

**Author's Note:**

> All thanks to my amazing beta [knaveryact ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/knaveryact)  
> 

On a Christmas afternoon, like every year, the entire family arrived at their house for a dinner Mrs. Scamander was throwing. It was quite a loud ordeal; with a lot of people sitting around the table, catching up, and kids running around screaming.  
  
It was everything Newt despised, and then some.  
  
The kids were annoyingly loud. They tried to get him to play one of their games, hide and seek, or something, but he refused. Later, their attention shifted to his kneazle. Poor little thing tried to hiss at them, but they never got a hint, and in the end, he gave up, looking miserable, touched by multiple sets of hands. After a while, he managed to escape and hide on top of the highest cupboard in the kitchen.  
  
Everyone tried asking Newt questions, asking about how he felt, how he did, whether he was looking forward to going to Hogwarts soon, but they all treated him like a four-year-old. Fed up, he tried his best to reply as politely as he was able to, especially since he was aware of his parents watching him, but as time went by it wasn’t easier. Newt was growing tired, and angry, and so, so frustrated. It was just too many people in the house. He really wished he could go and hide in his room, wait for it all out, but his parents were quite clear that this was absolutely out of the question.  
  
Suddenly, he had an idea; his mother specified he wasn’t allowed to hide in his room, but technically she never mentioned leaving the house altogether… So if he was to go outside, to the garden, perhaps, he wouldn’t be breaking any rules. Proud of himself, he sneaked into the kitchen and managed to climb up the cupboard to get the kneazle down. Wrapping it in his arms, as quietly as possible, he moved to get himself dressed.  
  
Newt wasn’t aware he was being watched throughout this whole thing until he heard a high-pitched voice of one of his older aunts.  
  
“Quite a strange kid you have, dear. I worry that he’ll grow up to be a black sheep of the family. Theseus is so much better, and this one… You know, I went to see the fortune-teller one day, to ask about him and…”  
  
The comment made him curl in on himself, absent-mindedly hugging the kneazle tighter. That’s not true, he wanted to say but didn’t dare. Feeling the tears coming, he went outside, closing the door as quietly as he was able to.  
  
Newt wasn’t the only one who overheard the comment; Theseus, standing nearby and watching his brother as well, felt the need to act. The best option, he thought, would have been to jinx her so she learned how to keep her mouth shut. He clenched his jaw, keeping himself from saying something he’d regret. Etiquette he had instilled into him ran deep. Be he had to say something.  
  
“Well, auntie, I remember the last time you asked the fortune teller about me. She said I’m going to die a painful death in the following months. It seems I’m still alive, however.”  
  
He felt his father’s heavy hand on his shoulder, but he decided to ignore it, focusing on the aunt’s blank stare instead. It took her a second before she managed to collect herself.  
  
“Of course, Theseus, dear. But you happen to be more talented than your poor brother. He seems to be, you know… Oh, forgive me for the words, dear…” she said, turning to his mother,“…mental.”  
  
“My brother is not mental!” Theseus yelled. The room went quiet for a moment, the only sound the kids talking loudly in the other room, unaware of what just happened.  
  
“Theseus!” his father whispered disapprovingly. He blinked a few times, still watching his aunt’s surprised face. Taking a deep breath, he faked the best smile he was able to conjure.  
  
“My apologies, dear aunt,” he said and stood up. “Excuse me, I think I need some fresh air.”  
  
With that he quickly left the room, still feeling his dad’s eyes on him. Before he reached the front door, he heard the woman’s another comment”  
  
“Quite kids you have there.”  
  
Theseus ignored it and left.  
***  
  
He found Newt in the garden, curled up on one of the benches, with knees up to his chin and the poor kneazle trapped between them and kid’s chest. It meowed loudly, and for a moment Theseus thought he wants to leave, but it didn’t move. It seemed rather like it tried to cheer Newt up, but the boy wasn’t reacting. Theseus felt another wave of anger; he really should have said or done more.  
  
Cautiously he approached his little brother.  
  
“Quite a night, isn’t it?” he asked. When Newt didn’t react, he added. “Mind if I join you?”  
  
Newt shrugged, so Theseus took it as a yes and sat next to him. The kid looked quite wrecked, honestly and Theseus’ heart hurt at the sight. It wasn’t fair. Newt was the last person in the world to deserve this kind of cruelty, and especially in his own damn house. He wanted to cheer Newt up, but he had no idea what to do. Touching him would’ve only made the situation worse, making the kid run away, or shut down completely. So he simply sat there, hoping that it was enough for Newt to know Theseus was there for him.  
  
It took a couple of minutes of this silence before Newt spoke.  
  
“Is she right?”  
  
“What?” Theseus asked shocked, turning to his brother. As expected, Newt wasn’t looking at him, but at his knees. “Of course not, Newtty! Come on, we’ve talked about this!”  
  
“So why would she say that?” he asked, his voice breaking.  
  
“Because she’s a cruel, lonely old woman, who likes people to suffer. That’s just who she is, doesn’t mean she knows what she’s talking about,” Theseus muttered angrily, more to himself than to Newt, but he heard it.  
  
“'Seus!”  
  
“What? I’m only telling the truth.”He smiled, seeing his brother’s disbelief.  
  
“We’re not supposed to say that!” Newt said, still shocked. “What’d Dad say!”  
  
“Well, he can’t hear now.” Theseus clenched his jaw. Seriously though, etiquette or not, his parents could’ve, or rather should’ve, said something to this toad. It wasn’t right, to let her treat Newt like this. After another moment of silence Theseus added, “By the way, I yelled at her.”  
  
“You didn’t!” Newt said, finally turning to his brother.  
  
Theseus nodded, proud of himself. “Yes, I did,” he confirmed with a smirk.  
  
Newt furrowed his brows in confusion. “But, why?” he asked. Theseus blinked a few times.  
  
“Wha… wh…” He choked on the words. “Because you’re my little brother, Newtty! And no one’s gonna talk like this about my brother when I’m around. And especially not some crazy toad who clearly has issues!”  
  
Newt watched his older brother, amazed by the determination in his voice. It felt… it felt nice, knowing that someone cares like this, enough to make a scene. He wasn’t exactly proud of Theseus, but he couldn’t say he minded it either. He felt a warm feeling spread through his chest, despite the freezing wind howling around them. With a smile, he did something unexpected; he scooted over and hugged Theseus.  
  
Suprised, Theseus, of course, hugged him back. He even went as far as to lightly stroke his brother’s back.  
  
“Thank you, 'Seus,” Newt muttered into his chest.  
  
“There’s nothing to be thanking for,” Theseus said softly and looked at the stars above them. Newt followed his gaze.  
  
“Look! A shooting star,” Newt whispered after a while, raising his hand to point at it.  
  
“Make a wish,” Theseus said and closed his eyes, knowing Newt has done the same.  
  
Please, he thought to himself. Let him have real friends.

**Author's Note:**

> Come and yell at me on Tumblr at @shumscamander  
> Also thanks to all of you, who kept up with me and those 12 fics! *Drops dead on the floor*


End file.
